Air quality-related diseases
You would never encourage your child to breathe exhaust fumes! And yet, as you move around in a polluted atmosphere, you unwittingly absorb a large volume of harmful particles.
Dust is harmful by its very nature, but also by its biopersistence. What’s more, particles often merge with chemical pollutants. These are trapped in your body and can potentially pass through the alveolar mucosa into the bloodstream.
Finally, dust is made up of physical, chemical and biological pollutants. These pollutants cause illnesses linked to exposure to fine particles, such as :
- Asthma
- Allergies
- Headache
- Nausea (especially in the case of VOCs)
- Respiratory tract irritation/inflammation
- Tracheitis/bronchitis
- Airway diseases
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Cancers
Occupational diseases specific to poor air quality
Specific occupational diseases are concentrated in certain sectors. The best known is lung cancer in the case of workers in contact with asbestos.
The risks to the body depend on the frequency of exposure, the quantity of particles inhaled and their nature.
Generally speaking, if PM 2.5 dust levels are high, any type of particle is likely to cause cancer. It is therefore imperative to take appropriate measures.
